anxa 
88-B 
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THE  COMMERCIAL 
MUSEUM 


PHILADELPHIA 


Its  History  and  Development — Collections 
of  the  Resources  of  the  World — Educational 
Work — Assistance    to    the    Business  Man 


THE  COMMERCIAL 
MUSEUM 


PHILADELPHIA 


Its  History  and  Development— Collections 
of  the  Resources  of  the  World — Educational 
Work — Assistance    to    the   Business  Man 


HE  PHILADELPHIA  MUSEUMS,  perhaps 
more  generally  known  by  the  title  of  Com- 
mercial Museum,  from  one  of  its  component 
departments,  is  a  city  institution  occupying  a 
large  tract  of  land  east  of  Thirty-fourth  street  _L 

The  Commercial 

below  Spruce  in  West  Philadelphia,  on  which  Museum 
have  been  erected  during  the  past  ten  years  a 
group  of  permanent  museum  buildings  which, 
although  still  unfinished,  gives  promise  upon  completion  of  taking  a 
leading  place  among  such  institutions  the  world  over. 

The  Philadelphia  Museums,  in  plan  and  purpose,  comprise  a  group  Organization 
of  museums,  educational  and  commercial,  material  for  which  is  being 
gathered  and  the  institution  developed  by  a  Board  of  Trustees  created 
by  the  City  Councils  of  Philadelphia,  and  responsible  to  the  Mayor. 

The  Board  comprises  eleven  well-known  citizens  of  Philadelphia 
acting  as  appointed  members,  and  a  number  of  ex-officio  members 
including  the  Mayor  of  the  City,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  the  Presi- 
dents of  Select  and  Common  Councils,  the  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction,  the  State  Forestry  Commissioner,  the  President  of 
the  Philadelphia  Board  of  Education,  and  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Philadelphia  Public  Schools. 

The  City  of  Philadelphia  has  set  aside  as  a  permanent  park  and  Grounds 
botanical  garden  and  as  a  site  for  the  Museum  buildings,  more  than 
fifty  acres  of  land  in  West  Philadelphia,  of  which  about  sixteen  acres 
front  on  Thirty-fourth  street;  the  remainder,  still  undeveloped,  fronts 
on  the  Schuylkill  River,  and  is  surely  destined  to  form  part  of  the 
great  river  park  improvement  that  must  some  day  connect  Bartram' s 
Garden  with  the  Fairmount  system. 

The  Philadelphia  Museums  were  created  by  ordinance  of  Coun-  Buildings 
cils  in  1894.  Much-needed  storage  room  was  first  provided  by  the 
late  Mr.  William  Weightman  and  by  Mr.  Frank  R.  Tobey,  who 
gave  the  Philadelphia  Museums  the  free  use  of  buildings.  For 
some  years  the  rapidly-growing  collections  were  installed  in  the  large 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Office  Building  on  Fourth  Street  below  Walnut, 
which  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  gave  to  the  Philadelphia 
Museums,  rent  free,  for  nearly  ten  years.  In  1897,  the  land  above 
described  was  transferred  by  the  city,  and  in  1899  construction  of 
the  present  group  of  buildings  began.  There  are  now  three  perma- 
nent Museum  buildings,  steel  frame  with  walls  of  brick  and  cement, 


A  CLASS  FROM  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  ENTERING  THE  MUSEUM  GROUNDS 


Commerce  and 
Enlighten  the 


each  100  x  400  feet,  and  on  the  northernmost  of  the  three  a  good 
beginning  has  been  made  on  the  permanent  white  terra  cotta  wall 
which  is  some  day  to  cover  the  entire  exterior.  These  buildings  are 
lighted  and  heated  from  a  fourth  permanent  structure,  a  steel  and 
stone  power-house  at  the  railroad  level,  in  which  are  also  located  the 
Museum  workshops. 

The  present  Museum  buildings  were  only  made  possible  by  the  or- 
ganization, in  1899,  through  National  assistance  but  under  the  control 
of  the  Museums'  Board,  of  the  National  Export  Exposition.  This 
enterprise  succeeded  in  raising  funds  sufficient  for  the  erection  of  the 
present  buildings,  and  thereby  marked  out  the  plan  of  development 
which  the  institution  has  since  followed. 

The  completion  of  the  entire  group  of  buildings,  under  the  plans 
adopted,  will  be  a  work  of  considerable  time,  corresponding  to  the 
undertaking.  The  permanent  buildings  as  they  now  stand  represent 
an  expenditure  of  over  $800,000,  raised  in  the  past  ten  years,  two- 
thirds  of  which  has  come  from  sources  other  than  the  city  government. 

One  of  the  main  objects  of  the  Commercial  Museum  is  to  promote  Object  to  Extend 
the  commerce  of  America  with  foreign  lands  and  to  disseminate  in 
this  country  a  wider  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  the  customs  and  People 
conditions  of  other  nations  and  peoples. 

That  Philadelphia  should  have  had  the  foresight  to  establish  and 
foster  this  Commercial  Museum  is  not  difficult  of  explanation.  In  a 
manufacturing  city,  the  foremost  in  the  world,  there  is  constant  and 
increasing  need  of  such  an  institution.     But,  except  for  location,  the 

•  t  -r      •  Educational 

Museum  is  much  more  than  of  local  importance.  Its  ramifications  Features 
extend  into  every  quarter  where  human  beings  live  and  labor.  The 
completeness  of  its  facilities  and  the  practical  efficiency  of  its  system 
are  demonstrated  continually.  In  some  respects  the  Museum  con- 
stitutes a  school  where  American  men  of  business  can  acquaint  them- 
selves with  any  subject  relating  to  the  commerce  of  the  world. 

The  exhibition  feature  is  probably  the  most  conspicuous,  and  the 
phase  that  offers  the  best  opportunity  for  learning  to  how  great  an 
extent  the  institution  is  placing  itself  at  the  service  of  the  manufactur- 
ing community.  The  exhibits,  in  fact,  would  do  honor  to  any 
country  desiring  to  hold  a  temporary  exposition.  For  this  reason 
many  foreign  nations  have  had  representatives  visit  the  Museums  and 
inspect  their  workings  for  the  purpose  of  emulating  the  American 
example  and  establishing  similar  centers  for  the  gathering  and  diffus- 
ing of  industrial  and  commercial  information. 

Considerable  interest  attaches  to  the  manner  in  which  the  insti-  History 
tution  came  to  life.     At  the  close  of  the  Columbian  Exposition  in 
Chicago,  it  was  found,  through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  W.  P.  Wilson,  the 


present  Director,  that  the  City  of  Philadelphia  could  secure  upon 
promise  of  permanent  exhibition  many  of  the  valuable  collections  there 
displayed.  Such  promise  was  given  in  an  official  letter  signed  by 
Mayor  Stuart,  and  the  packing  and  transportation  of  the  material  was 
made  possible  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Simon  Gratz  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Meehan,  who  secured  an  appropriation  from  City  Councils 
with  which  to  begin  the  work  in  Chicago,  and  through  the  efforts  of 
Mr.  Charles  W.  Henry,  who  personally  guaranteed  the  necessary  ex- 
penses until  the  city' s  funds  should  become  available.  Mayors  Stuart 
and  Warwick,  and  the  City  Councils,  appreciating  the  value  to  the  city 
of  a  Commercial  Museum,  entered  heartily  into  the  development  of 
the  institution,  which  was  organized  under  the  presidency  of  Dr. 
William  Pepper,  who  earnestly  supported  the  undertaking  from  its 
very  inception  until  his  untimely  death.  Many  foreign  governments 
became  actively  interested,  and  have  amplified  their  collections  as 
opportunity  offered.  Much  of  the  material  sent  to  the  Paris  Ex- 
position in  1900  was  promised,  before  its  collection,  to  the  Philadel- 
phia Museums,  and  designed  for  permanent  installation  here.  Great 
acquisitions  were  made  also  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition  in 
1901,  and  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  in  1904.  From 
exhibitions  in  Central  America,  as  well  as  from  far  away  Tongking, 
other  collections  were  obtained. 

As  a  matter  of  course  the  Museum' s  exhibits,  located  in  the  main  Exhibits 
buildings,  command  the  most  interest  through  the  information  they 
convey  in  a  direct  manner.  Covering  the  commercial  materials  of  the 
world,  the  imports  and  exports  and  the  manners  and  customs  of  many 
countries,  the  main  purpose  of  the  exhibit  is  to  portray  in  vivid  fashion 
the  products  and  people  of  foreign  lands.  The  installation  and 
arrangement  of  the  exhibits  have  been  done  with  an  eye  single  to  the 
best  results  from  the  standpoint  of  the  observer.  Many  of  the  groups 
can  find  their  counterpart  nowhere  else.  In  the  case  of  the  semi- 
civilized  peoples,  no  small  degree  of  artistic  taste  has  entered  into  the 
scheme  of  display.  The  daily  life  of  the  people,  their  peculiar 
habits,  their  dress,  cooking,  agricultural  and  manufacturing  imple- 
ments, are  arranged  in  classified  array  and  are  most  attractive  to  the 
visitor,  apart  from  what  he  can  learn  touching  economics. 

That  the  Philippine  exhibit  is  one  of  especial  interest  and  Philippines 
completeness  is  due  largely  to  the  fact  that  Dr.  Wilson,  as  Chair- 
man of  the  Philippine  Government  Board  which  made  the  Philippine 
Exhibition  at  the  St.  Louis  Exposition,  was  enabled  to  bring  these 
valuable  collections  to  the  Commercial  Museum  at  the  end  of  the  ex- 
hibition. 

This  great  exhibit  includes  a  full  series  of  all  grades  of  Manila 


A  VIEW  THROUGH  THE  CHINESE  EXHIBIT 


hemp,  the  most  important  commercial  product  of  the  islands,  shown 
in  hanks  and  in  commercial  bales.  Rice,  sugar,  pina,  tobacco, 
bamboo,  rubber,  tropical  cabinet  woods,  ores,  coal,  and  other  natural 
products  are  shown  in  great  variety  as  well  as  life-sized  figures  of  civ- 
ilized and  savage  people,  clothing,  tools,  weapons,  musical  instru- 
ments, pottery,  baskets,  houses  and  a  variety  of  other  exhibits  which 
illustrate  the  people  of  the  Philippines. 

The  Chinese  and  Japanese  departments  reveal  a  mass  of  material  china  and  Japan 
depicting  modes  of  living  in  the  Orient.  Here  is  shown  the  life-sized 
figure  of  a  Chinese  scholar  seated  in  his  study;  in  another  case  a  woman 
of  the  same  nationality  is  engaged  at  the  silk  reel.  Numerous  huts 
and  odd-appearing  dwelling  houses  have  been  reproduced  in  either 
natural  size  or  miniature  where  the  purpose,  perhaps,  has  been  to 
show  an  entire  settlement,  such  as  the  Siberian  display. 

The  collections  from  China,  Japan  and  Formosa  are  among  the 
largest  and  most  comprehensive  permanent  installations  to  be  found 
from  those  countries,  and  comprise  the  full  range  of  their  natural 
products  which  enter  so  largely  into  the  commerce  and  daily  con- 
sumption of  the  world.  Some  of  the  leading  industries  of  those 
countries,  particularly  silk  and  rice  are  fully  displayed  in  serial 
exhibits,  and  the  most  characteristic  arts  are  represented  by  typi- 
cal examples,  such  as  fine  porcelain,  metal  work,  lacquer,  and 
cloisonne. 

No  such  collection  of  African  materials  exists  in  any  other  museum  Africa 
in  the  world.     Separate  sections  are  devoted  to  Egypt,  Algeria,  Tunis, 
Morocco,  Somaliland,  the  French  West  African  colonies  (Senegal, 
Sudan,  Guinea,  Ivory  Coast,  Dahomey,  and  French  Congo),  Liberia, 
Congo,  German  East  Africa  and  the  English  colonies  of  South  Africa. 

These  collections  are  rich  in  samples  of  rubber,  palm  oil,  palm 
nuts,  peanuts,  Senegal  gum,  coffee,  cottons,  wools,  and  other  raw 
products.  Scores  of  cases  are  filled  with  a  most  interesting  showing  of 
articles  which  make  plain  the  life  of  the  native  people.  Idols,  musical 
instruments,  mats,  pottery,  weapons,  tools,  and  all  sorts  of  native 
utensils,  show  the  conditions  of  life  on  the  Dark  Continent.  Of  par- 
ticular interest  is  a  collection  of  fetiches,  once  the  property  of  the 
King  of  Dahomey,  affording  to  the  student  a  startling  view  of  the 
crystalization  in  modern  Africa  of  belief  and  ritual  handed  down  from 
the  civilizations  of  the  ancient  world.  Typical  imported  trade  goods 
from  Europe  indicate  the  taste  of  the  people  and  show  American  ex- 
porters what  is  salable  in  a  great  market  comprising  millions  of 
human  beings  who  at  present  know  no  American  goods  but  coarse 
muslin.  The  cotton  textiles  made  by  the  natives  themselves  are 
often  interesting  and  attractive  in  design  and  excellent  in  quality. 


A  SHIP  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  THE  WELCOME  OF   WILLIAM  PENN 
A.  D.  1682 

Model  to  scale.    Prepared  by  and  exhibited  in  the  Commercial  Museum 


Accompanying  a  large  series  of  these  is  a  showing  of  goods  made  in 
England  and  Germany  in  imitation  of  the  native  fabrics.  This  and 
other  similar  exhibits  in  the  Museum  from  these  countries,  should 
teach  our  manufacturers  how  necessary  it  is  to  consider  and  cater  to 
the  tastes  of  their  customers  in  export  markets.  In  spite  of  the  attract- 
iveness of  much  of  the  English  and  German  goods,  the  richer  natives 
in  some  sections  prefer  to  use  the  more  costly  native  cloths  on  account 
of  their  superior  quality;  an  indication  of  the  future  importance  of 
the  great  African  commerce. 

The  Madagascar  exhibit  is  of  exceptional  merit.  The  textiles  Madagascar 
of  this  collection  are  of  native  make,  and  in  many  instances  im- 
possible of  duplication,  since  they  have  been  gradually  disappearing 
for  a  number  of  years  and  their  place  has  been  taken  by  the  cheaper 
fabrics  of  foreign  make.  There  is  also  shown  here  a  native  loom  of 
most  primitive  construction,  and  yet  capable  of  producing  remark- 
able cloths  from  the  raphia  fiber.  Side  by  side  here  are  found  for- 
eign-made cloths  resembling  closely  the  Madagascar  manufacture,  both 
in  texture  and  design.  American  manufacturers  should  have  no 
difficulty  in  competing  with  Europe  by  supplying  the  Malagasy  with 
textiles,  provided  the  proper  effort  be  made  to  give  them  just  what 
they  want.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  Europeans  are  particularly  success- 
ful in  conforming  their  own  ideas  to  the  tastes  of  semi-civilized 
people  and  even  the  barbaric  races.  Among  the  Madagascar  displays 
there  are  to  be  found  an  assortment  of  musical  instruments,  such  as 
only  the  native  ingenuity  could  have  fathered.  Rattles,  made  from 
beans  and  used  by  dancers  and  sorcerers;  dulcimers,  constructed  en- 
tirely from  raphia,  and  other  instruments  illustrate  most  interestingly 
the  musical  inclinations  of  this  picturesque  people. 

The  collection  of  articles  from  Tahiti,  New  Caledonia,  Fiji  and  The  South  Seas 
other  islands  of  the  South  Pacific  is  of  unusual  merit.  Very  few  Mu- 
seums in  the  world  possess  its  equal.  In  addition  to  such  articles  as 
display  the  peculiar  habits  and  customs  of  the  natives,  there  are  sam- 
ples of  pearl  shell,  copra,  birds'  nests,  trepang,  cotton,  coffee,  and 
other  products  which  show  the  natural  wealth  of  the  region.  The 
collection  is  rich  in  the  bark  cloths  which  are  so  perfectly  imitated  by 
German  manufacturers  who  place  their  wares  in  the  native  markets 
through  the  many  traders  of  that  nationality. 

India,  Ceylon,  Indo-China  and  Siam  display  collections  of  almost 
equal  interest. 

Almost  the  entire  floor  of  one  building  is  installed  with  compre-  Latin  America 
hensive  collections  of  the  natural  products  and  resources  of  all  of  the 
Latin-American  countries,  this  being,  as  far  as  known,  the  only  per- 
manent exhibit  of  that  character  in  the  world.     From  those  countries 


come  some  of  the  most  important  of  our  imports,  and  here  are  shown 
in  great  variety  the  rubbers,  coffees,  cacaos,  asphalts,  and  mineral  ores 
on  which  so  many  of  our  industries  depend. 

An  important  exhibit  at  the  main  entrance,  which  is  in  course  of  The  History  of 
installation,  illustrates  the  history  and  development  of  commerce  from  Commerce 
the  earliest  beginnings  to  the  present  time.  Serially  arranged  in  uni- 
form cases  are  the  important  products  of  commerce  in  the  order  of 
their  entry  into  the  world's  demand,  while  maps  in  contemporary 
order  show  the  development  and  changes  in  trade  routes  and  the  con- 
comitant rise  and  fall  of  the  nations.  The  development  of  trans- 
portation from  the  most  primitive  type  of  human  burden  to  the 
modern  railway  train,  steamship,  automobile,  and  airship,  is  pictured 
in  a  series  of  large  photographs  on  the  surrounding  walls,  and  by  a 
unique  collection  of  panel  photographs  six  feet  high,  surrounding  the 
columns  of  the  building  in  the  space  occupied  by  the  exhibit.  The 
development  of  water  transportation  is  portrayed  by  a  series  of  models 
of  commercial  shipping  beginning  with  the  most  ancient  tomb-paint- 
ings of  Egypt  and  carrying  the  evolution  down  through  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  the  Arabs,  Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Dutch  and  English, 
^  down  to  the  modern  leviathans  both  of  steam  and  sail  power.  These 
models  are  being  constructed  to  uniform  scale  so  that  the  visitor  can 
compare  at  a  glance  the  relative  size  and  capacity  of  the  shipping  of 
the  Pharaohs,  that  of  the  Caesars  and  the  empires  of  the  East,  with 
the  modern  liners. 

Among  the  most  valuable  of  the  exhibits  are  those  which  show  Economic 
the  various  grades  of  one  substance  from  different  parts  of  the  world 
and  the  working  up  of  raw  materials  into  finished  products.  These 
economic  collections  are  arranged  to  illustrate  foodstuffs,  spices,  bever- 
ages, fibers,  tans  and  dyes,  gums,  resins,  oils,  etc.  The  exhibit  of 
cotton  takes  up  not  only  cotton  fiber  and  its  manufacture  into  yarn, 
thread  and  fabrics,  but  also  the  utilization  of  cotton  seed,  showing  the 
many  useful  things  made  from  cotton  seed  oil,  as  well  as  from  the  oil 
cake,  the  hulls  and  the  linters.  The  corn  exhibit  not  only  shows  hun- 
dreds of  commercial  varieties  of  corn  and  various  foodstuffs  made  from 
corn  but  surprises  the  visitor  by  showing  also  corn  oil  and  the  dozens 
of  useful  things  made  from  it,  including  such  unexpected  articles  as 
rubber  overshoes. 

From  the  educational  point  of  view  the  Commercial  Museum  has  Educational 
become  a  very  influential  factor  in  the  training  of  young  men  for  busi- 
ness life.  There  have  been  distributed  among  the  schools  of  the 
State  about  fifteen  hundred  collections  of  commercial  products,  in- 
cluding photographs  and  maps  arranged  for  the  study  of  particular 
localities  throughout  the  world,  where  certain  articles  are  produced. 


Work 


There  has  also  been  developed  a  system  of  daily  illustrated  lec- 
tures to  schools,  delivered  in  the  Lecture  Hall  by  members  of  the  staff 
and  profusely  illustrated  with  stereopticon  slides,  following  which  the 
students  are  conducted  through  the  sections  where  are  found  the  ma- 
terials under  discussion.  This  service  of  the  Commercial  Museum  is 
extremely  popular  with  the  public  and  private  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood and  is  taken  advantage  of  by  scholars  of  all  grades  from  the 
very  young  children  up  to  classes  from  our  colleges  and  universities. 
It  is  a  wonderfully  stimulating  agency  for  making  young  men  and 
women  interested  in  the  possibilities  of  business,  either  at  home  or 
abroad.  It  is  decidedly  a  training  that  can  only  work  the  greatest 
possible  benefit  to  the  community. 

An  interesting  and  popular  feature  of  the  Commercial  Museum  s  n, 

.  .  Photographic 

work  is  the  use  it  makes  of  its  large  collection  of  photographic  negatives  Collection 
and  prints,  now  numbering  over  25,000  and  increasing  at  the  rate  of 
2,000  every  year.  This  collection  cannot  be  duplicated  in  this  coun- 
try, and  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  best  in  existence,  having  been 
gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  world  for  the  special  purpose  of  illus- 
trating the  life  and  industries  of  the  people  of  all  countries.  Many 
prints  of  large  size  are  installed  together  with  the  exhibits  to  which 
they  relate,  showing  the  methods  of  production,  use  and  transporta- 
tion practiced  in  the  various  countries  of  the  world.  Besides  serving 
in  this  manner  to  educate  the  people,  the  photographs  are  of  extreme 
interest  to  our  manufacturers  and  importers,  since  they  show  the  con- 
ditions to  be  met  in  foreign  markets.  Under  each  State  appropriation 
for  the  educational  work  of  the  Museum,  its  photographic  laboratory 
prepares  from  50,000  to  75,000  prints  which  are  distributed  among 
the  public  schools  of  the  State. 

Lantern  slides  are  also  made  in  great  numbers  for  the  illustrated 
lectures  given  to  visiting  classes  and  the  general  public  and  on  loans  to 
schools  throughout  the  State. 

The  laboratory  is  well  supplied  with  instruments  and  apparatus 
necessary  to  make  the  bromide  enlargements,  which  illustrate  the 
exhibits  of  the  Museum,  as  well  as  photomicrographs  for  use  in 
technical  schools. 

During  the  winter,  free  public  lectures  are  given  frequently  in  the 
Museum  Lecture  Hall.  The  subject  is  usually  one  of  the  important  Lectures 
countries  of  the  world,  and  the  lecture  gives  a  general  idea  of  the 
country  and  its  inhabitants,  emphasizing  especially  the  products  and 
industries  that  make  it  important  commercially.  Other  lectures  take 
up  the  history,  development  and  present  importance  of  commer- 
cial products.  The  accurately-colored  lantern  slides  with  which  they 
are  illustrated  double  the  interest  and  attractiveness. 


GEOGRAPHIGAL  COLLECTION  IN   CABINET  FOR  UNGRADED  SCHOOLS  IN  PENNSYLVANIA 


Similar  lectures  are  loaned  free  to  schools  in  all  parts  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  slides  are  carefully  packed  and  shipped,  with  type- 
written readings,  to  any  teacher  requesting  them.  These  loan  lectures 
are  becoming  extremely  popular  and  are  carrying  the  educational  work 
of  the  Museum  into  the  remotest  country  villages.  Simple  lanterns 
and  screens  are  loaned  with  the  slides,  and  thus  rural  schools  are  en- 
joying freely  to-day  facilities  for  teaching  geography  and  commerce 
which  a  few  years  ago  were  beyond  the  reach  of  the  most  favored 
educational  institutions.  The  wide-reaching  importance  of  this  service 
is  almost  impossible  to  estimate. 

One  of  the  most  important  departments  of  the  Commercial  Museum  Foreign  Trade 
is  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau.  The  energies  of  this  Bureau  are  de-  Bureau 
voted  solely  to  the  development  of  the  international  trade  of  the  United 
States.  It  does  this  by  encouraging  individual  manufacturers,  who  are 
properly  equipped  to  handle  the  business,  to  extend  the  market  for 
their  wares  to  include  foreign  countries,  and  then  by  assisting  them 
in  a  very  practical  manner  in  inaugurating  and  developing  that  trade. 
The  service  rendered  by  this  Bureau  is  designed  to  meet  the  needs  of 
the  individual  manufacturer,  each  manufacturer  receiving  that  help 
which  his  particular  case  requires.    The  assistance  and  information 

r.,.,  ,  -p>  AHelptothe 

given  covers  subjects  or  a  wide  range  and  varying  nature,  r  or  ex-  Business  Man 
ample,  the  manufacturer  is  supplied  with  live  and  practical  informa- 
tion touching  trade  possibilities  and  openings  for  his  lines  of  goods; 
he  is  advised  as  to  what  foreign  countries  are  supplying  a  particular 
market;  is  told  of  the  drawbacks  and  discriminations  against  Ameri- 
can goods  and  what  steps  must  be  taken  to  overcome  these  objections; 
is  furnished  with  information  concerning  methods  of  packing  goods 
for  different  countries,  the  best  shipping  routes  and  the  prevailing 
freight  rates,  the  consular  and  shipping  papers  necessary  on  specific 
shipments,  and  the  customs  duties  charged  by  foreign  countries  on 
these  shipments;  is  advised  on  the  trade  mark  and  patent  laws  of  for- 
eign countries  and  the  restrictions  and  taxes  which  apply  to  commer- 
cial travelers  and  their  samples  in  those  countries;  is  supplied  with 
the  names  of  firms  in  foreign  countries  importing  and  dealing  in  par- 
ticular lines  of  goods.  In  many  foreign  countries  and  in  many  lines 
of  goods,  business  can  best  be  conducted  through  a  local  agent,  and 
an  important  feature  of  the  work  of  the  Bureau,  therefore,  is  advising 
the  best  points  at  which  to  locate  such  agencies  and  suggesting  the 
names  of  reputable  firms  in  a  position  to  handle  the  agency  to  the  best 
interests  of  the  American  manufacturer. 

Another  very  practical  way  in  which  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau  Transiations 
helps  the  American  manufacturer  doing  an  export  business  is  by  trans- 
lating his  business   correspondence,  for  which  purpose   it  has  an 


efficient  and  well-equipped  Translation  Department  able  to  handle 

any  commercial  language.     Letters  received  by  American  houses  from  Intiuines  fro 

Abroad 

firms  abroad  in  a  foreign  language  are  sent  by  the  recipients  to  this 
Translation  Department,  translated  into  English  and  returned.  The 
manufacturer  then  writes  his  reply  in  English,  sends  it  back  for  trans- 
lation into  the  proper  foreign  language,  and  after  such  translation  the 
reply  is  either  returned  to  him  or  forwarded  direct. 

Not  only  does  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau  perform  this  direct 
service  for  American  manufacturers  but,  conversely,  it  is  constantly 
in  receipt  of  a  large  number  of  inquiries  from  foreign  firms  asking  for 
the  names  of  makers  of  particular  lines  of  goods  and  requesting  to  be 
placed  in  touch  with  such  manufacturers.  These  inquiries  are 
promptly  referred  to  the  manufacturers  here  who  are  best  able  to 
handle  them.  By  reason  of  the  great  store  of  valuable  information 
touching  the  subjects  connected  with  the  export  trade,  the  Foreign 
Trade  Bureau  is  always  appealed  to  for  assistance  and  inquiries 
are  referred  to  it  by  foreign  consuls  located  in  the  United  States, 
by  foreign  trade  organizations,  frequently  by  heads  of  govern- 
mental departments  abroad,  occasionally  by  the  several  national 
departments  in  Washington,  and  by  American  consuls  located  abroad. 
It  is  promoting  trade  relations  by  serving  both  individual  firms  and 
governments. 

Another  feature  of  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau  is  its  publication  Publications 
service.  Two  journals  are  regularly  published — The  Weekly  Bulletin, 
which,  as  its  name  implies,  is  issued  once  a  week  (every  Saturday), 
and  Commercial  America,  a  monthly  publication.  Commercial  America 
is  intended  for  circulation  abroad  for  the  purpose  of  interesting  foreign 
buyers  in  American  goods.  The  greater  part  of  the  magazine  is  de- 
voted to  a  description  of  new  and  novel  articles  made  in  the  United 
States  and  especially  suited  for  export.  Through  the  agency  of  infor- 
mation conveyed  by  Commercial  America  inquiries  have  resulted  which 
have  led  to  valuable  trade  connections  for  American  manufacturers. 
The  Weekly  Bulletin  circulates  only  in  the  United  States  among  the 
manufacturers  who  are  subscribers  to  the  services  of  the  Foreign  7>ade 
Bureau.  It  is,  therefore,  of  a  somewhat  confidential  nature,  contain- 
ing abstracts  of  letters  received  from  foreign  firms  asking  for  informa- 
tion concerning  specific  American  products,  items  concerning  business 
conditions  in  foreign  countries,  trade  hints  received  from  foreign  cor- 
respondents or  culled  from  the  foreign  commercial  press  and  from 
foreign  consular  reports,  and  a  schedule  of  steamship  sailings  from  all 
ports  of  the  United  States  to  foreign  countries.  These  two  publica- 
tions— the  one  showing  foreign  importers  and  merchants  what  American 
manufacturers  have   to   offer,  and   the    other   showing  American 


BRONZE  SUN-DIAL  IN  THE  MUSEUM  GROUNDS 
Calculated  for  its  exact  location  and  set  according  to  the  North  Star 


manufacturers  what  foreign  importers  and  merchants  want  and  the 
articles  for  which  they  are  in  the  market — are  believed  to  cover  the 
export  field,  in  so  far  as  it  can  be  covered  by  publication  work,  in  a 
most  satisfactory  manner.  Besides  these  regular  publications  there  are 
issued  from  time  to  time  other  pamphlets  and  reports  bearing  on  com- 
mercial topics,  such,  for  example,  as  '  'Foreign  Trade  Figures, ' '  showing 
trade  conditions  in  every  country  which  figures  in  international  trade 
and  pointing  out  the  share  the  United  States  has  in  the  business  of 
each;  "  Cotton  Manufactures,"  which  has  been  the  means  of  posting 
both  producers  and  manufacturers  on  the  world's  trade  in  this  com- 
modity as  well  as  specifying  the  standing  of  this  country  where  cotton 
growing  and  further  utilization  is  concerned. 

As  a  result  of  several  years  of  unremitting  effort  the  Foreign 
Trade  Bureau  not  only  has  intimate  relations  with  American  manufac-  Equipment  for 
turers  and  exporters  but  is  in  close  touch  with  reputable  merchants,  Work 
importers  and  large  consumers  and  governmental  and  municipal  au- 
thorities in  foreign  countries.  Properly  to  carry  on  the  work,  it  has 
built  up  a  network  of  valuable  connections  throughout  the  commer- 
cial world.  Special  correspondents  in  all  the  larger  cities  of  the  world 
are  constantly  keeping  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau  informed  on  topics 
pertinent  to  international  trade;  in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  globe 
the  Bureau  is,  through  its  connections  and  facilities,  able  to  secure  in- 
formation which  is  helpful  to  American  manufacturers.  Moreover, 
members  of  the  staff  of  the  Commercial  Museum,  men  trained 
in  foreign  trade  and  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  needs  and  con- 
ditions of  manufacturers  here,  have  been  sent  abroad  from  time  to 
time  to  study  conditions  as  well  as  to  make  the  acquaintance,  per- 
sonally, of  the  heads  of  some  of  the  leading  importing  houses  in  for- 
eign countries. 

Invaluable  to  the  members  of  the  staff  of  the  Commercial  Museum  TFrfe  Co"»merciai 

Library 

and  of  great  assistance  to  manufacturers  and  business  men  generally 
is  the  Commercial  Library  of  the  institution.  This  is  probably  the 
most  complete  library  of  its  kind,  not  only  in  the  United  States  but 
in  the  world.  It  is  a  practical  consulting  library,  in  which  are  on 
file,  in  addition  to  the  official  statistics  and  similar  documents  of  nearly 
all  foreign  countries,  the  consular  reports  of  all  countries  which  system- 
atically publish  reports  of  their  consuls.  There  is  also  a  large  collec- 
tion of  books  on  general  commercial  topics,  as  well  as  most  of  the 
recent  works  of  travel  and  description  having  value  from  a  commercial 
point  of  view.  A  most  important  part  of  this  commercial  library  is 
the  collection  of  directories  of  foreign  cities  and  industries.  There  Business 
are  over  four  hundred  of  these  directories,  ail  of  late  date,  covering  Directories 
the  more  important  cities  and  towns  in  every  foreign  country  and 


\ 


CENTRAL  PORTICO  AND  MAIN  ENTRANCE 
NORTH  BUILDING 


every  town  and  city  in  the  United  States  with  a  population  of  over 
100,000. 

The  administration  and  staff  of  The  Philadelphia  Museums  are 
as  follows: 

Board  of  Trustees,  ex-officio. — The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania; 
the  Mayor  of  Philadelphia;    the  President  of  Select  Council;    the  Administration 
President  of  Common  Council;  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Public 
Education;  the  Superintendent  of  Schools;  the  State  Superintendent 
of  Public  Instruction;  the  State  Forestry  Commissioner. 

By  Appointment. — Daniel  Baugh,  Wilson  H.  Brown,  Theodore 
N.  Ely,  W.  W.  Foulkrod,  Ellis  A.  Gimbel,  Simon  Gratz,  W.  S. 
Harvey,  William  W.  Supplee,  W.  T.  Tilden,  Charles  F.  Warwick, 
W.  P.  Wilson,  Sydney  L.  Wright. 

Officers  cf  the  Board  of  Trustees. — President,  W.  S.  Harvey;  Vice- 
President,  Charles  F.  Warwick;  Treasurer,  Daniel  Baugh;  Secretary, 
Wilfred  H.  Schoff. 

Director. — Dr.  W.  P.  Wilson. 

Curator. — Charles  R.  Toothaker. 

Librarian. — John  J.  Macfarlane. 

Chief  of  the  Foreign  Trade  Bureau. — Dudley  Bartlett. 

The  Museum  buildings  are  open  daily,  9  a.m.  to  5  p.m.     Sun-  Hours 
days,  1  p.m.  to  5  p.m. 

Admission  to  all  departments  of  the  Museum  is  free. 


Plans  for  Completion  of  Buildings 

The  Philadelphia  Museums  in  their  present  condition  consist  of 
three  large  Pavilions  or  Exhibition  Halls,  and  a  one-story  building 
which  covers  the  entire  ground  between  the  present  Central  and  South 
Pavilions,  and  adjoins  the  Power  House. 

The  one-story  building  will  ultimately  be  replaced  with  a  large 
central  Auditorium  and  Library.  The  three  exhibition  halls  will  re- 
main, and  a  fourth  building,  similar  in  character,  will  be  annexed  as 
a  future  development  to  the  south  of  present  South  Building,  and 
these  four  buildings  with  their  projected  connecting  arcades  and 
galleries,  and  the  large  central  Auditorium  and  Library  referred  to, 
will  in  the  future  comprise  the  Philadelphia  Museums. 

The  three  large  pavilions  when  erected  were  built  in  the  most 
substantial  manner,  as  to  strength  and  material.  The  walls  are  of 
brick,  the  floors,  girders  and  supporting  columns  are  of  steel,  and  as 
structures,  answer  admirably  as  permanent  exhibition  halls.  The 
buildings  were  originally  planned  in  order  to  be  used  temporarily  for 
the  National  Export  Exposition,  and  owing  to  lack  of  funds  it  was 
found  necessary  to  cover  their  exteriors,  for  the  time  being,  with 
stucco  and  plaster  ornaments.  Since  that  time  the  exposure  to  the 
elements  has  naturally  caused  the  plaster  work  to  fall  away  from  its 
brick  backing.  Consequently,  the  task  of  refacing  the  entire  work 
was  found  to  be  imperative,  in  order  that  the  buildings  might  pre- 
sent an  appearance  worthy  of  their  purpose.  Within  the  three  past 
years  the  work  of  refacing  has  progressed  as  rapidly  as  the  appropria- 
tions from  the  City  and  State  have  permitted,  and  as  a  result  of 
these  endeavors,  the  North  Pavilion  or  Exhibition  Hall  will,  with 
the  fulfillment  of  present  contracts,  soon  be  complete. 

The  North  Pavilion  is  severely  classic  in  its  style;  its  great  dimen- 
sions demanded  a  broad,  simple  and  dignified  treatment.  All  attempt 
at  ornamentation  has  purposely  been  restrained.  The  Main  Entrance 
Portico  is  the  most  prominent  feature  of  the  building,  surmounted  with 
its  great  Corinthian  columns  and  pediment,  while  the  east  and  west 
ends  recall  in  a  suppressed  measure  the  treatment  of  the  main  entrance 
portico. 

A  word  of  explanation  as  to  the  method  employed  in  refacing 
this  building  may  be  of  interest.  From  a  24"  ground  course  of 
granite,  to  the  sills  of  the  first  story  windows,  a  base  course  of  terra 
cotta,  limestone  in  color  and  texture,  was  employed  to  act  as  a  base 
course  for  the  entire  building.     From  this  point  to  the  top  of  the 


balustrade  along  the  roof  semi-glazed  white  terra  cotta  was  used. 
Each  block,  moulding  course  and  cornice  stone  has  been  caiefully 
anchored  into  the  old  brick  walls  in  such  a  manner  that  the  new  and 
old  work  are  as  thoroughly  bonded  and  fast  as  if  the  refacing  had  been 
a  portion  of  the  original  building. 


THE  PHILADELPHIA  MUSEUMS'  PRESS 
  19  10  


